Page 42 of The Wolf's Plus-Size Nanny

Vince chuckles, a low, menacing sound that grates on my nerves. “You think you can waltz in here and start making demands? You’ve got balls, I’ll give you that. But you’re outnumbered, and this is none of your business.”

Reiner stalks forward. His posture is relaxed but ready to strike at a moment’s notice. “This is our territory, Vince. That makes it our business. Last warning—release them and leave, or we’ll make you leave.”

Vince’s grin widens, revealing a row of teeth that seem sharper than normal, even for a shifter. “You’ve got some nerve, throwing threats around. We’re just passing through, collecting a little insurance for safe passage. Ain’t that right, ladies?” He shoots a glance at the women, one of whom flinches under his gaze.

My hands curl into fists at my sides, and it takes everything in me not to lunge at him. “Insurance?” I snap. “You’re holding them hostage, and you think that’s going to fly here? You’ve got one chance to walk away without bloodshed. Take it.”

Vince’s eyes darken, and his smugness falters for a split second before he pulls it back. “I don’t take orders from pups. And I sure as hell don’t back down because some small-town wolves think they can play hero.”

I lock eyes with Reiner, giving him a barely perceptible nod. This is going to get messy.

Vince raises a hand, signaling his men, and in a flash, they shift—fur sprouting, bodies contorting into massive wolves. Vince’s wolf form is a hulking mass of dark fur and rippling muscle, eyes blazing with a vicious hunger. Reiner and I waste no time, lunging into the fray as we shift mid-air. Our wolves slam into the rogues with a fury that’s been simmering since we caught wind of their presence.

The clearing erupts into chaos. Vince and I collide, our bodies crashing into the ground with a bone-jarring impact. I snap at his neck, narrowly missing as he thrashes beneath me,claws tearing at my flank. Pain shoots through my side, but I grit my teeth and keep going, driving my shoulder into his ribs and shoving him off balance.

Vince snarls before he lunges, snapping his jaws inches from my throat, but I twist away, my teeth grazing his muzzle in a warning bite. The taste of blood hits my tongue, metallic and sharp, fueling the fire in my veins. Vince roars, a guttural sound that shakes the trees, and he barrels into me with all the force of a runaway freight train.

We tumble, a flurry of claws and fangs, each of us vying for the upper hand. I dig my claws into his back, raking down his spine, and he howls in pain, kicking his hind legs wildly to dislodge me. He rolls, pinning me beneath his massive bulk, and for a moment, I’m staring up into eyes filled with unrestrained fury. His breath is hot and foul against my face, and his jaws close in, aiming to crush my windpipe.

But I’m faster. I jerk my head to the side, twisting just enough to slam my paw into his throat, forcing him back. With a heave, I throw him off and scramble to my feet, keeping my stance wide and ready. Vince shakes himself, and blood drips from a gash across his muzzle. He snarls, lashing his tail like a whip behind him.

To my left, Reiner is locked in a brutal dance with two of the rogues while the rest guard the women. He ducks under a swipe before his teeth latch onto one rogue’s leg, yanking hard enough to send the shifter crashing into the other. He’s relentless, not giving them a moment to regroup, and I can see the determination in his eyes as he fights to protect our home, our pack.

Vince charges again, his massive form barreling toward me with reckless abandon. I brace myself, planting my feet andlowering my head, meeting his charge with a force that shakes the ground beneath us. We clash, and the impact reverberates through my bones, but I hold my ground, pushing back with everything I’ve got. Vince snaps at me, and his teeth graze my shoulder, but I retaliate, closing my jaws around the scruff of his neck in a crushing grip.

I can feel the resistance in his muscles, the strain as he fights against me, but I don’t let go. Not until I feel the shift in his stance, the moment of surrender that ripples through his body. I release him, shoving him back, and he stumbles, his breathing ragged and uneven. I have no interest in killing anybody if I can avoid it.

“Enough,” Vince snarls after shifting back to human form. He’s bloodied and bruised, his chest heaving as he glares at me. “You made your point.”

I shift back, panting as I stand over him. “You’re done here. Leave, and don’t come back.”

Vince wipes a hand across his mouth, smearing the blood that drips from his split lip. He looks at his men, who are limping away from Reiner with their tails tucked low in defeat. “This isn’t over,” he growls, but there’s no fight left in his voice. Just bitterness.

“Yeah, it is,” Reiner retorts, shifting back and stepping up beside me. “Unless you want to try your luck again.”

Vince snarls but says nothing, turning on his heels and motioning for his men to follow. They disappear into the trees, and the tension in the air slowly begins to dissipate.

As the rogues fade from sight, my focus shifts to the women. They’re shaken but alive. Their eyes are wide and wary as they take in the aftermath. My eyes move over them, and my heart stops in my chest for a beat when they land on one of them.

Casey. Fiona’s mother. My old fling. Her hair’s tangled, and there’s a bruise forming on her cheek, but it’s definitely her.

“Casey? “What the hell are you doing here?”

Her eyes meet mine. “Jack?” she asks, her voice shaky but unmistakable. “I… they grabbed us near the border. Just after I dropped Fiona off at—”

“Save it,” I cut her off. I don’t think I can handle her finishing that sentence. I hate her for abandoning our daughter, for never telling me about her to begin with until she decided she couldn’t handle it anymore. But she’s part of our pack, and dammit, that means I have to get her to safety. “We need to get you out of here first. We’ll figure the rest out later.”

Reiner steps up, eyeing Casey. “Let’s get them back to Green Lake. Evan will want to know what’s going on. I doubt they’ll let this go.”

As we help the women to their feet, my mind is spinning. I haven’t seen Casey since the night Fiona was conceived, and now she’s here, tangled up in rogue shifter business that’s bound to complicate everything.

Against my better judgment, I lead Casey to the truck, keeping my grip firm on her arm as we navigate the rough terrain. She stumbles, and I catch her. The familiarity of her touch sparks a thousand memories I’d rather forget. I push them aside, focusing on getting out of here before those wolves come back.

I’ve got to get her back to Green Lake, make sure she’s safe. I could drop her off with Evan, let him deal with her, but something keeps me from just unloading her like that. Like it or not, she’s the mother of my child, which means I have an obligation to protect her. I’m going to have to bring her homewith me, just in case those bastards come to town looking for her.

But as I glance over at Casey, a pit forms in my stomach. How the hell am I going to explain this to Sonya?

Chapter 23 - Sonya

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